By Samson Nwafor
It's often said that criticism is an essential element of democracy as it helps to shape the policies and direction of government towards successful pursuit of a common good of the people within a specific tenure. However, criticism must be constructive and must be based on facts, to be able to achieve this wonderful objective. So, any criticism made without fact or out of sheer bitterness, selfishness or envy betrays the principles of criticism in a democracy.
This reminds us of the recent outburst of the 2023 Governorship candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, Dr Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odi, who through Mr Moses Idika, Head, Media, of his Campaign Council, known as Anyi Ga Emeya Movement, cast aspersions on some of the policies and programmes of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru's administration. An administration that's barely one year and six months old.
In the statement titled, "Governor Ogbonna Nwifuru Profligacy is leading Ebonyi to Golgothea: Ebonyi State is Endangered", the author claimed that
"Ebonyi State under the command of Hon. Ogbonnaya Nwifuru is currently bleeding, hemorrhaging and lives of the people are thinning out in droves due to hunger and poverty. Ebonyi State today is seemingly directionless."
The above narrative by the author about Ebonyi State under Governor Nwifuru sharply contradicts the reality on ground, just as it's totally untrue.
While it's not in doubt that a good percentage of Ebonyi people are still within poverty level, it's totally wrong and mischievous for any right thinking person to deny the fact that Governor Nwifuru has made and still making deliberate efforts to address the situation. Besides, the issue of poverty is a global phenomenon and cannot be attributed to Ebonyi State alone.
Prior to Nwifuru's assumption of office, the 2022 National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) ranked Ebonyi second poorest State, behind Sokoto State and the highest in South-East and Southern Nigeria. This is no doubt a scary situation that was already steering on our faces as a people prior to the assumption of office by Governor Nwifuru on May 2023.
Right from the period of campaign ahead of the 2023 General elections, Nwifuru who was apparently worried by the worsening poverty situation in the State declared publicly in many fora that he was going to pay special attention to Human Capital Development and Empowerment if elected Governor.
His reason was not unconnected to the fact that his predecessor,Engr David Umahi, concentrated more on infrastructure development and did little on the area of Human capital Development and Empowerment. A decision that was very thoughtful if the issue of poverty was to be tackled headlong by his administration.
Interestingly, the Governor has kept to this promise of tackling poverty through human capital development. In less than few months in office, he paid pension and gratuities owed to State retirees since 1996 till date, which amounts to over 5bn naira.
This gesture uplifted the lives of many families that were already caught by web of poverty. Many of the retirees got well over ten million naira each depending on their levels as benefits. This singular payment helped in stimulating the State's economy that was already in stagnation before he assumed office.
The Governor also released one billion naira for the empowerment of Ebonyians hawking in different cities in the country with each of the 500 beneficiaries getting two million naira to start businesses of their choice. This was as the Governor also promised to embark on the second batch of this gesture to ensure Ebonyi people are taken out of street hawking.
As if that was not enough, the Governor released another N1.6bn for the empowerment of 1600 youths of Ebonyi State with each person getting one million to start businesses of their choice.
This was even as the State government is training over 1000 Ebonyi youth in Agriculture. The training is taking place in batches outside the State and over 200 youth who have graduated from the training have all received a cash grant of three million naira each to set up their own agric businesses.
Under Governor Nwifuru, many Youths have been gainfully employed as his administration removed the embargo hitherto placed on workers recruitment by previous administration in the State, paving way for the recruitment of about 195 health workers, and the ongoing recruitment of 1000 teachers in the State.
He went ahead to purchase SUVs for the resident Doctors working at each of the 13 general hospitals as well as fuel allowances to them to enhance their services. This is aside the ambulances he purchased for the general hospitals. Nwifuru's administration also procured drugs and hospital consumables worth billions of naira for distribution to the State owned hospitals.
Also in his quest to alleviate poverty and bring government closer to the people under his People's Charter of Needs agenda, the Governor localized governance and made it more accessible to the people, such that local contractors are the ones now doing most jobs for government, rather than importing foreigners or outsiders to handle government's jobs.
This has helped to eradicate capital flight within the system and made enough funds available in circulation, and its multiplier effect is the economic boom Ebonyi State is currently witnessing. Only a leader who is intentional about empowering the people and reviving the economy can behave as Governor Nwifuru.
On the area of education, Nwifuru's Administration has empowered both Primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the State, both with fund and other enablement for effective and optimal service delivery. His administration has made unprecedented intervention in our education sector and a visit to some of our schools will convince doubting Thomases.
For instance, apart from building Model Schools across the State, the Governor is also building two tertiary institutions simultaneously, namely: University of Aeronautic Engineering, Ezza, and ICT University, Oferekpe.
These two universities when completed will create both direct and indirect jobs to over ten thousand Ebonyians. You could imagine the extent this can go to reduce poverty in the State.
What about the local and overseas scholarships of about 1000 Ebonyians that gulped the State government over thirteen billion naira? In the next two to three years when the beneficiaries of the scholarship must have completed their studies, I bet you that the story of Ebonyi would no longer remain the same.
The list of Governor Nwifuru's uncommon interventions aimed at changing the ugly poverty narrative of the State is endless. And with these measures already put in place by his administration, it's expected that in the next 8 years, Ebonyi would witness an overall economic prosperity.
On the issue of sanitation and environmental protection, the government of Ebonyi State under Governor Nwifuru may not be scored 100 percent, but for anyone to rule out the modest efforts of the government in this regard is completely wrong and unfair.
Though, beginning is not always easy, but the government of Nwifuru has in all ramifications demonstrated that he was prepared for the job of governance. With the actions on ground, it's also obvious that the Governor is not resting in ensuring that Ebonyi people have a clean and serene environment. This is why the State executive Council recently approved for the procurement of some machines that would aid sanitation in the State.
Again, while we cannot rule out the activities of some recalcitrant residents undermining the efforts of government in this regard by disposing refuse indiscriminately, we can only appreciate the level of work Nwifuru's administration is doing in keeping the environment clean only when we visit other states of the federation, especially our neighboring states.
And you can only say otherwise if you don't live in Ebonyi but dwell on hear say. Ebonyi State, particularly the Abakaliki capital city, by all sense of judgement is not too dirty to warrant condemnation from any quarter.
Under Governor Nwifuru, the Abakaliki capital city has witnessed tremendous development through numerous internal roads his administration has silently constructed without making noise about it.
The governor took a step further to construct virgin roads in many parts of the capital city. If the Governor was to be interested in showmanship typical of an average Nigerian politician, he would be throwing party here and there to flagoff and commission some of the countless internal roads his administration has constructed within a shortwhile.
On the area of drinking water, the Governor has committed tens of billions of naira in reviving our water schemes abandoned by previous administration in his quest to give the people portable water. And very soon, the result of his administration's efforts would be felt by residents of the State, who will have clean and portable water at their door steps.
Granted that Ebonyi State is owing some domestic and foreign debts, available records show that the government of Ebonyi State under Governor Nwifuru has not taken any loan, be it domestic or foreign loan, since it came on board.
It therefore, betrays any sound reasoning for anyone to judge his administration with the sins of previous administration. Moreso, as the governor has publicly said he was not ready to borrow any loan in running the State.
On the same vein, why should anyone make an issue out of the purchase of bullet proof cars for the office of the Governor, his Wife, Speaker and Chief Judge of the State, considering the level of insecurity in the country? Does bulletproof vehicle worth more than the lives of these personalities? Certainly no. Is anybody oblivious of the current security situation in the country which has claimed lives of many highly individuals in recent time?
It's also hypocrisy for anyone especially the opposition parties to criticise the purchase of SUV for some Catholic Priests and National Assembly members, and chose to keep quite when the Governor accommodated members of opposition political parties in government palliatives, one of which is the recent disbursement of one million naira each to 1600 Ebonyi youth which opposition parties benefited.
Moreso, this is not the first time a sitting governor in our dear State and elsewhere is donating cars, lands and other valuable items to National Assembly members and other strata of people in the State. Good enough, the recipients of these gifts are Ebonyians, not outsiders.
We have seen in this country where Governors donated hundreds of millions of naira to sister states and luxury cars to outsiders and no body criticized it. So, why the noise about the goodwill extended to citizens of the State by the Governor?
On the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport, the opposition's description of the fund committed by Nwifuru's administration in reconstructing the airport runway as wasteful beats every sound reasoning.
It's a public knowledge that the aviation authority declared the airport runway unfit for flight operations shortly after its inauguration by the previous administration of Governor David Umahi.
Mr Nwifuru on assumption of office considered the huge resources of the State that had been committed into building of the airport and decided to undertake the reconstruction of the runway instead of abandoning it.
Had the governor abandoned the airport due to bad runway, the same opposition criticizing him today would have still criticized him for abandoning the airport.
The truth is that only a Governor who means well for his people and the State would toe the path of Governor Nwifuru. Afterall, the airport was not initiated by his administration and so, he could have chosen to abandon it.
On the viability of the airport, the airport may not have immediate return on investment, but will certainly have, very soon. Good enough, the State government has hinted of its plans to launch its own aircrafts.
The airport has also become a good bait for foreign investors wishing to come and invest in Ebonyi State; just as it has boosted the image of Ebonyi State in the comity of states.
On ease of doing business, it's not in doubt that under Governor Nwifuru, reprieve has come the way of business men and women in the State. Investors are also coming into the State in droves, courtesy of the good disposition of the government to supporting businesses to thrive.
And this is evidenced by the many businesses springing up across the State, especially within Abakaliki Capital City. A lot of big businesses have been opened in less than two years of Nwifuru's administration, including two private radio stations which the Governor personally commissioned.
The Governor also abolished collection of any form of tax from petty traders and directed that anyone found doing so, should be arrested and prosecuted. He is also encouraging entrepreneurs with start-up capital and the most recent was the gifting of some women who participated in the Pink Exhibition that took place at shopping mall Abakaliki with two million naira each to support their businesses through Her Excellency, the Wife of the Governor.
Nwifuru's administration has reactivated Ebonyi Pipe Factory, Pulverization plant and the building materials factory is underway. This is a clear demonstration that the State government is willing to do business, create jobs and support investors, too.
While you can't rule out the activities of miscreants who go about harassing and defrauding unsuspecting citizens in the name of Government, it amounts to giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it, for anyone to accuse Nwifuru's administration of suppressing ease of doing businesses in the State.
Nwifuru's administration has also done well in the transport sector, having reactivated Ebonyi Transport Company hitherto abandoned by previous administration by injecting tens of new hiace buses into it to ease transport challenges amongst residents of the state occasioned by the rising cost of premium motor spirit.
The government also went further to subside the transport fare for the people of the State. This is aside the CNG long buses the government released for transporting state workers free of charge. He also donated two CNG long buses to the Students Union Government of the State University for transportation of students. No gain saying the fact that Nwifuru's administration is on a right track towards overhauling all sectors of the State's economy.
With the recent outburst of the main opposition party in the State, Political Analysts are of the firm view that the opposition elements in the State are becoming jittery of the towering popularity of Governor Nwifuru, ahead of 2027 general elections.
The fact is, Governor Nwifuru has changed the governance narrative of Ebonyi State by making welfare of the people his administration's utmost priority; a feat that has endeared him to the people.
As noted earlier, criticism is an essential ingredient of democracy, but destructive or better still, blind criticism is antithetical to democracy. So, whether as an opposition party or not, we should be guided at all times while criticizing government if truly the criticism is for the pursuit of a common good of the people, unless it's for a selfish agenda.
